Monday 22 August 2011 21:07
My Nabaztag is ... um ... still working. Anyway, a few months ago, I bought a cheap two-man tent in Asda. It was ideal in that it packed up really small and easily fitted on the back of a bike, along with other camping gear. And it was a bargain at only £12. It's since been used to go camping, with bikes, and Deb even used it at Glastonbury, after her tent died at T in the Park. However, at Glastonbury, we found that it wasn't the best of tents in coping with heavy, consistent rain, needing the addition of a couple of bin bags taped over the top vent (after which it was fine).I do have a point. I recently noticed that, since the summer's quite advanced, Asda were selling-off their camping stock. I bought a couple of solid fuel stoves for two quid each; with some fuel too. I also noticed that the already cheap £12 tents had been reduced to £8. I was tempted to buy one, but I really didn't need another tent. When in Asda after work this evening, I saw three young lads (in their late teens, maybe early twenties) who'd clearly heard about the cheap tents and were buying some for this weekend's Leeds festival. I stood behind them at the checkout, wondering for a while whether to warn them about the need for bin bags and gaffer tape. Then thought nah.
Saturday 20 August 2011 23:51
My Nabaztag phone App is no longer working. I don't know why I thought that it would; I guess I didn't actually think at all when I opened it.
Or maybe I had a subconscious urge to begin again with My Nabaztag. I need to think about tomorrow ... My Nabaztag doesn't like housework?
Friday 19 August 2011 22:44
My Nabaztag is still largely speaking French, but it did come out with a burst of English earlier this evening. While I've things robotic in mind, I'd like to say that I'm so tempted to buy this. | Or maybe I'll wait until there's a cheaper version. Or return to my original plan to build my own (life size of course). I'm also quite taken by the Robot B9 (that's the robot from Lost in Space) cufflinks I found on eBay too. They're just beautiful. |
Wandering off onto an entirely different subject now, it was recently pointed out to me that I live with a lot of clutter. And, I rather painfully came to the conclusion that this was indeed the case. So, armed with a roll of bin bags, I set about sorting through shelves, drawers, cupboards and boxes. My enthusiasm waned though, when I realised the scale of the task. Still, my efforts have had a marginal impact and I shall gradually complete my task.
One of the benefits of having a clear out, is the fact that something cringeworthy always turns up. For example, found at the bottom of a box of old photos, was a poem written by one of my children.
Any parent knows that a major part of their job is to cause embarrassment. And I do take my job seriously.
Thursday 18 August 2011 21:41
My Nabaztag is now alive again.
I'll refrain from adding and well though, since it currently speaks little English. Right now, it can read the BBC news headlines and tell me the time (incorrectly) with an American accent. It can also read my horoscope. In French.
Still, it's nice to know that there's now a way to revive Nabaztags all over the world. Doesn't it make you feel all warm inside?
Wednesday 17 August 2011 22:20
I've a few things to moan about mention this evening and, as usual, I'll present these in no particular order.Well, maybe with the exception of my the first moan, which has been irritating me for a couple of weeks now. My Nabaztag has been flashing orange for two or three weeks now. I'll not bother explaining the purpose of a Nabaztag, but they're supposed to glow purple. They do some other stuff too. Or rather they did. I finally got around to having a look for the answer on the Internet, only to find that On 27 July 2011, Mindscape stopped the maintenance of the Nabaztag and released its source code. Which explains the demise of my Nabaztag. However, there does seem to be a glimmer of hope.
I'm sure I've mentioned previously that I'd found a Gateshead car park phone app. I can't master it and everyone tells me that it's because I don't drive. I'm sure, though, that waving a phone around while playing a game bears no relation to having an aptitude for driving (which I admittedly don't have).
Still, there's now an alternative to mindlessly driving a car around a car park. With a new game, it's possible to walk around the very same car park (which has allegedly risen from the dead), shooting the occasional zombie. Zombies in Gateshead, you may wonder? Well, there's no need to buy this game (although the Get Carteresque shotgun is a nice touch); just take a walk down Gateshead High Street. Afternoons seem to be best for zombie-spotting.
Moving away from technology, I'd now like to make a general complaint about exes. I'll begin with a brief moan about an ex of mine. After finally getting round to reading Bill Bryson's At Home; a short history of private life, I decided to re-read A Short History of Nearly Everything, which I'd bought and read a few years ago. Obviously, when we'd split up, my ex had forgotten that she'd given her copy of the book to a friend, so my copy was accidentally taken. I think I'm more bothered that so much time could pass without my noticing its absence than I am about the absence itself. Anyway, it's a decent book, so I'll buy another copy.
Still on the subject of exes, I'd like to mention the ex of someone close to me. I'll respect their anonymity by giving this particular ex a pseudonym. Actually, come to think of it, why invent a fictional name when that's already been done by the author of another blog (I'll refrain from adding a link here)? So, let's refer to this individual as Mr Fucktard. I don't wish to speak at length about Mr Fucktard since, in all honesty, he's not worthy of my two fingered typing. However, I'll summarise by saying that I've never before encountered such irrational, manipulating, blackmailing, controlling, hurtful and immature behaviour. My only concern is that, should Mr Fucktard read this, the thick bastard won't his level of intellect will surely protect him from the risk of identify identifying with my comments. I could say more, confident in the knowledge that I can't be accused of slander, but I'll draw the line under the above understatement.
I think I might write about something nice tomorrow.
Tuesday 16 August 2011 22:00
It's wrong that a week off work can pass in the blink of an eye. Or maybe it's right; I mean, I'd moan even more if it had dragged. I think that maybe I just need to adopt a slower pace and take time to appreciate things more.Anyway, I managed to fit in a respectable amount of cycling, camping in Hunstanton, and a little socialising. The last couple of Sunday afternoons were very pleasantly spent outside Charters, with live music in the sunshine. Friday evening in the College Arms wasn't bad either.
I returned to work yesterday to a new job. I feel bad about leaving the team, but I couldn't turn down a job that'll work better with my personal life in the short term. It had to be done; and, at the end of the day, I don't plan to stay in the job too long.
Anyone who knows me will know about my fondness for early 20th Century glasses. Spectacles that is, not the other kind. I've built up a reasonable number of spare frames and parts, but I'm finding that old glasses are getting harder to find. Since I intend living a very long life, I need to identify alternative supplies. While browsing the Internet for inspiration, I came across a few examples of people who've made their own glasses. Well, the frames. Although a million miles away from the frames I was looking for, I have to admit that I quite liked this particular approach. I'm seriously thinking about having a go myself.
While on leave last week, I put aside a little time to pack for Reading. Even though I've a relatively quiet weekend ahead, I thought I'd try to be a little more organised than usual. I'm looking forward to what'll probably be my only visit to this festival.
Saturday 6 August 2011 15:04
Apparently I'm getting a new road. Well, the old one was a little battered.
I took that picture a couple of days ago. It's actually quite dark outside right now; the rain's coming down pretty heavily. There's a drain across the road, opposite my house; the water's running down the road so fast that there's a cool little fountain of water coming out of the drain. It doesn't take a lot to amuse me.
Tuesday 2 August 2011 22:52
When walking down Northumberland Street on Saturday, a man leapt out in front of me and thrust a bag at me. Slightly worried, I meekly accepted it and continued on my way. It turned out to be a Salvation Army bag, containing literature. In addition to a copy of the War Cry, there was a comic, aimed at indoctrinating young children. I'm sure it's a psychologically sound marketing strategy, but I don't see how portraying Jesus as a Simpson character could be a good thing. Excuse the blurry picture.
On Sunday I tackled the ever expanding Elderberry bush. Although I was quite fond of it, its size meant that a large patch of grass was being replaced by moss. After only five hours' work, the tree was removed. Two days later and my arms are still wobbly.
That same evening, I took a short cut home, through a nearby graveyard. It wasn't at all creepy. Honest.
The last couple of days were spent in Preston/Peterborough/London. All three were hot and clammy, but worst of all were the couple of unavoidable journeys on the Tube. A truly nasty place during the Summer. Naturally, I had train hassles when returning home, but after a long shower it's already beginning to fade away.
Only a little over 66 hours until beer time!
older
back to current